60-Second Science
Scientific American
Host Rachel Feltman, alongside leading science and tech journalists, dives into the rich world of scientific discovery in this bite-size science variety show.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 23, 2020 • 5min
Acorn Woodpeckers Fight Long, Bloody Territorial Wars
More than 40 of the birds, in coalitions of three or four, may fight for days over oak trees in which to store their acorns.
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Oct 22, 2020 • 4min
Funky Cheese Rinds Release an Influential Stench
The volatile compounds released by microbial communities on cheese rinds shape and shift a cheese’s microbiome. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 21, 2020 • 5min
Dinosaur Asteroid Hit Worst-Case Place
The mass-extinction asteroid happened to strike an area where the rock contained a lot of organic matter and sent soot into the stratosphere, where it could block sunlight for years.
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Oct 20, 2020 • 5min
River Ecosystem Restoration Can Mean Just Add Water
Planners returned water to the dry bed of Arizona’s Santa Cruz River in 2019, and various species began showing up on the same day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 18, 2020 • 3min
3,000-Year-Old Orbs Provide a Glimpse of Ancient Sport
Researchers say three ancient leather balls, dug up from the tombs of horsemen in northwestern China, are the oldest such specimens from Europe or Asia. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 16, 2020 • 4min
Humans Make Wild Animals Less Wary
From mammals to mollusks, animals living among humans lose their antipredator behaviors.
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Oct 13, 2020 • 5min
Play Helped Dogs Be Our Best Friends
The ancestors of today’s dogs already exhibited some playfulness, which became a key trait during domestication. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 10, 2020 • 4min
Neandertal DNA May Be COVID Risk
A stretch of Neandertal DNA has been associated with some cases of severe COVID-19, but it’s unclear how much of a risk it poses. Christopher Intagliata reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 8, 2020 • 5min
Nobelist Talks CRISPR Uses
New Nobel laureate in chemistry Jennifer Doudna talks about various applications of the gene-editing tool CRISPR.
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Oct 7, 2020 • 5min
Blue Whale Song Timing Reveals Time to Go
Blue whales off California’s coast sing at night—until it’s time to start migrating, and they switch to daytime song.
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